CD Reviews

New Orleans' answer to The Jam

Thalia C. Siqueiros | Las Vegas, NV | 07/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This band is amazing. After years of searching for a copy of this album, which I think is out of print, I've found it, and it's as great as it was the first time I listened to it. The sound could be improved, but the majority of the songs on the CD are live performances. Good stuff. A must have."

As one of their songs says, this brings back "Memories"....

Bruce J. Richards | Metairie, LA | 03/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...of living, partying, and growing up in New Orleans at the tail end of the Baby Boom-- the late 70s, the early 80s. It was a time of change. Like most of the country there were those who still jammed on dinosaur rock-- wearing the flannel shirts as jackets, feathered long hair-- those were the ones called the "hey, bra"s, for their prototypical greeting. Then there were those who followed a new wave, who listened to a different drummer-- and it was The Normals who locally led the way. I wasn't old enough to see them in their original incarnation in the late seventies, but by the time I started hitting the clubs in the early 80s, The Normals had already made a lasting impression on the local music scene, paving the way for a slew of bands as the Red Rockers, the Models, the Raffeys, RZA, and most notably, The Cold, who even got the Normals drummer, Chris Luckette. By then my buddies and I had obtained old demo tapes of Normals songs, songs that you hear MUCH more cleanly as tracks on this CD, and we were in awe of these "old masters" and what we had missed by a few years. But soon our appetites were whetted, as The Normals performed a series of reunion concerts in the early 80s-- these are the live tracks included herein. Great fun, becuase as with most New Orleans bands, the music is only half, the SHOW is the party. And we were there--in fact, the blood curdling yell of joy you hear at the lull in "Vacation to Nowhere" is mine.The CD is a gem, a great compendium, not only of the studio recordings from the band's early years and missed hit at stardom, but also a great chronicle of the reunion concert years, when the local fans weaned on the band's offspring and influence finally got a chance to pay tribute to the ones who started it all. Memorable tracks include of course the afore-mentioned "Vacation to Nowhere", but also the exuberantly upbeat "Jump Back", the frenetic "Around the Downtown", the cool, moody "You Ain't Nuthin", the hard-to fathom "38-36" (we alway wondered as to the meaning-- a street address? an age reference? a football score?), the off-the-wall cover of "Henry the Eighth" and their one 45 single, "Almost Ready". Listen, learn, and live it up."

Great songs, 70's audio quality leaves room for improvement.

Bruce J. Richards | 03/06/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A nostalgic blast from the past! Experienced this amazing band 2 decades ago and time has not diminished their freshness and punk attitude. Highly recommend this cd for all punks and rock and rollers of all ages who want an authentic slice of punk pie. Sit still if you can and play very loud...thats a necessary requirement! Amaze your friends and neighbors with your unbelievable coolness and cynical wit. I've got the original 45, bet you don't! Anybody know where these guys are? At least we have their music on disc finally to remind us that true punk is not dead!"